Juan and Frances have always enjoyed sharing their lives with furry family members.
They love all kinds of animals. When Juan first met Frances, he had a Maine coon cat name Pegasus and a German Shepherd name Zena. Frances had a cool marine aquarium with lots of fish, and two
freshwater turtles named Fric and Frac.Throughout the years, Juan and Frances have raised chickens, turkeys, and even had a white goose named Henry. Juan loves horses. He is particular interested in the Paint
Quarter horse breed. Juan really wanted to get a horse a few years ago, but unfortunately Juan and Frances don't have the right type of land to have a horse. Their home is situated next to a
wetland, so it is usually very wet in the summer, which is not ideal for horses. So for now, horses are out of the question.

Pegasus lived with Juan and Frances for around 15 years and Zena lived to be 12
years old. In 2001, Juan surprised Frances with a beautiful one-year old Tabby-colored Maine Coon cat that he purchased from a breeder outside of Bangor, Maine. They name him Pharaoh after the
monarchs of ancient Egypt. He had a huge personality and the color of his coat was amazing. He had a distinct Bulls-eye color on the sides of his body. He had all the great characteristics of a
champion, but he never filled out. He maintained a 15 lb weight throughout his life, which is a little underweight for his frame. Despite his smaller size, he was Juan and Frances' family
champion. He lived with them for 17 years, which was quite extensive for the Maine coon cat breed. In general, Maine coon cats don't live that long. Loosing their pets has always been hard for
Juan and Frances, but they have celebrated their pet's lives in unique ways. Zena ashes were spread offshore in the Florida Keys, and Pegasus and Pharaoh were buried on their
land.

Frances and Juan C. Levesque at Congoccons in Alabama (July 2017).

When Juan and Frances lost the Great Mr. Pharaoh, Frances
immediately started researching Maine coon cat breeders throughout the United States. After careful consideration, they settled on Congocoons, a breeder in Alabama. They selected Congocoons for several years, but
in particular because they had some beautiful smoke-colored Maine coon cats, and their facility looked amazing. The Maine coon cat has always been Juan and Frances' favorite
breed.

According to The Cat Fanciers' Association, the Maine Coon cat evolved
through nature’s own breeding program developing characteristics by following a “survival of the fittest” evolution. The characteristics all have a purpose or function. Maine Coon cats developed
into sturdy, working cats suited to the harsh winters and varied seasons of the Northeast region. The Maine Coon Cat of today is known for a sturdy, rugged appearance, which includes an uneven,
shaggy coat of three distinct lengths and a long, well furnished tail. They carry that tail proudly and use it to surround themselves for warmth and protection. A Maine Coon Cat has large, well
tufted paws to allow ability to walk on top of snow despite size and weight. Ears are large and well tufted for protection and warmth. Even more than for beauty, Maine Coon Cats are noted for
intelligence and kindly disposition. After all, what they couldn’t obtain themselves, they could always get by charming a nearby human. Though their size can be intimidating, they are known for
their friendliness towards just about anything and are especially good with children and other pets. For these reasons, they have been dubbed the “Gentle Giant” of the cat fancy and are commonly
sought after as family pets, companions, and therapy cats.

Frances and Juan C. Levesque; Ragnor, formerly named Black Knight, at five weeks.

In July 2017, Juan and Frances drove to Congocoons to pick up Dark
Knight a beautiful male smoke-colored Maine coon. After much debate, they settled on the name Ragnor. They named their new kitten Ragnor after the great Viking warrior, and to honor Frances'
heritage, which is Scandinavian and Norwegian. Ragnor was a fearless legendary warrior and king that apparently ruled in the 9th century. His life is featured on the History channels'
Vikingtv show;
Juan and Frances love the show!

Ragnor has made great addition to the family. For his age, his body is huge. He also
has very large paws, which usually means he will probably be a giant. To accompany his big-boned body, he has a large personality. He is a very loving and always needs to be by their feet at all
times. He is extremely acrobatic and can jump like a full size cat. Juan admits that at times he has had his hands full trying to train him not to climb. Ragnor loves to play fetch with his toy
mouse, and chase the red-dot laser pointer.